Overview
- Linton Maina struck first for Köln before Serge Gnabry equalized in stoppage time, with Kim Min-jae and 17-year-old Lennart Karl completing Bayern's 3-1 turnaround.
- Play was halted for about 10 minutes early when thick flare smoke covered the pitch at RheinEnergieStadion.
- Bayern matched the halfway points record at 47 and set a new Hinrunde scoring mark with 65 goals, finishing the first half with a +53 goal difference.
- The victory preserved Bayern’s 11-point gap over second-place Borussia Dortmund at the midpoint, with Leipzig next in the league and Union Saint-Gilloise ahead in the Champions League.
- Kompany cited continued absences, including Sacha Boey’s illness and injuries to Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala, as rotation and youth contributions such as Karl’s remained pivotal.